The CIVICUS Crisis Response Fund (CRF) supports civil society organisations and initiatives facing new restrictions on their work to apply for funding for resiliency and advocacy actions.
It is designed to protect and strengthen civil society in the face of systemic threats, with a focus on safeguarding the rights to freedoms of assembly, expression, and association (FoAAE).
The CRF offers two types of grants:
- Advocacy/Sudden Opportunity Grants: These grants support responses to unexpected restrictions on civic space or seize opportunities to expand and strengthen the environment in which civil society operates, advancing rights or preventing backlash.
- Resiliency/Emergency Grants: These grants support organizations and groups facing immediate and ongoing threats, enabling them to enhance their resilience and implement security and protection measures.
The Crisis Response Fund is made possible through the support of multiple donors including Lifeline Embattled CSO Fund and EU SEE Flexible Support Mechanism.
Learn More About The CRF below
Criteria to apply
The CRF welcomes applications from formal or informal civil society actors and consortia, including social movements. Applications are received at any time throughout the year and reviewed on a rolling basis.
Grants must be for a 3–6 months activity periods and include a maximum budget of roughly US$10,000.00 for individual organisation or US$20,000.00 for two or more co-applying organisations.
Partners must demonstrate that proposed activities respond to an urgent threat to freedoms of assembly, association, or expression and that those involved in the project are at high risk in exercising their rights to these freedoms.
Examples of activities include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Advocacy meetings and workshops to respond to restrictive laws governing FoAAE and influencing policymakers and key actors to amend restrictions or repeal these laws
- Actions responding to unexpected opportunities to raise concerns over restrictions
- Opportunities to expand civic space and enabling conditions for civil society, or for specific groups within the sector
- Conducting counter-narrative campaigns to respond to smear campaigns against civil society
- Harnessing opportunities in multilateral fora, like the United Nations or regional bodies, to put pressure on governments to uphold FoAAE
Interested in Applying?
- First, read through our protocols and rules governing the grant.
- Secondly, take our short qualifying quiz to see if you are eligible to receive funding (responses are not recorded).
- Thirdly, download our application pack to prepare your submission.
- Lastly, submit your application via our online application portal.
